Musa said to As-Samiri, "What caused you to do what you did What presented such an idea to you causing you to do this'' Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "As-Samiri was a man from the people of Bajarma, a people who worshipped cows. He still had the love of cow worshipping in his soul. However, he acted as though he had accepted Islam with the Children of Israel. His name was Musa bin Zafar.'' Qatadah said, "He was from the village of Samarra.''

﴿قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُواْ بِهِ﴾

((Samiri) said: "I saw what they saw not.'') This means, "I saw Jibril when he came to destroy Fir`awn.''

﴿فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ﴾

(so I took a handful (Qabdah) from the print of the messenger) This means from the hoof print of his (Jibril's) horse. This is what is well-known with many of the scholars of Tafsir, rather most of them. Mujahid said,

﴿فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ﴾

(so I took a handful (Qabdah) from the print of the messenger) "From under the hoof of Jibril's horse.'' He also said, "The word Qabdah means a palmful, and it is also that which is grasped by the tips of the fingers.'' Mujahid said, "As-Samiri threw what was in his hand onto the jewelry of the Children of Israel and it became molded into the body of a calf, which made a light moaning sound. The wind that blew into it was the cause of its sound.'' Thus, he said,

﴿فَنَبَذْتُهَا﴾

(and I threw it.) This means, "I threw it along with those who were throwing (jewelry).''

﴿وَكَذلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِى نَفْسِى﴾

(Thus my inner self suggested to me.) This means that his soul considered it something good and it was pleasing to his self.